Parents fight for changes to Horsham school amid concerns for children's education

They have launched a petition to change Horsham’s Millais School from an all-girls school to co-educational. It follows fears for their children’s future after

many in Southwater had their first, second and third choice of secondary schools rejected when school allocations were sent to parents last week.

Some children now face a 32-mile round trip to Burgess Hill and others have been allotted places at Millais – despite their parents not wanting them to attend a single-sex school.

Parents maintain that the problem has been caused by Forest School switching from all-boys to co-educational – attracting more girl pupils – while Millais school has remained all-girls and has been undersubscribed.

The petition, launched by Craig Woodford, states: “In Horsham, last year and this year Forest School, Tanbridge House School and Bohunt School had near to maximum allocation. However last year and this year Millais School for Girls is undersubscribed.

“This is due to the fact that a lot of girls now prefer a co-ed education and have taken advantage of Forest School becoming a co-ed school. This has left a huge gap at Millais,” adding: “The fact that girls have started to take up allocation at Forest School means that boys that would normally have potentially attended Forest are being asked to travel further afield.

"This just seems wrong considering we have another school in Millais which has available school places. If Millais became a co-ed school, this issue would potentially lessen.

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“This problem will continue and will get worse every single year. The long term goal would be for a new secondary school to be built to take the burden of the three main schools in Horsham.

"However, with so many Horsham school places available at Millais, moving to a co-ed school seems like a real quick win.”

And, the petition points out, “all infant and junior school years will feel the full force of this problem in the future,” adding: “Millais has to become a co-ed school!”

Many parents say that too many houses have been built in the Horsham area over recent years without the provision of adequate infrastructure, including schools and GP surgeries.